1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cephalometry, and more particularly, to a device for insuring that the head of a patient is maintained in a desired spatial attitude or position during full face and profile portraits, cephalometric and routine x-ray procedures. The head positioning device of this invention includes a pair of eyeglasses having a lens frame with temple arms attached to the frame and provided with a pair of levels which are pivotally-mounted for adjustment with respect to the temple arms and lens frame. The levels can be pivoted to correspond to a selected plane such as the Frankford horizontal, alartragus, outer canthusporion, or other desired plane, and the patient's head can be placed and maintained in an attitude corresponding to the appropriate plane selection while successive full face, profile and/or cephalometric x-ray pictures are made. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the head positioning eyeglasses are shaped from a clear material such as polycarbonate to enable cephalometric x-rays to be made with the device in position on a patient's head without obscuring any landmarks. When portraits are made, the head can be initially spatially oriented with the head positioning device in place, and the device can then be removed to permit full face or profile portraits to be made.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices for orienting the head in a desired position or attitude for various purposes are known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 2,932,303 to L. L. Smith discloses a "Head Leveling and Holding Device" for maintaining the head in a level configuration to facilitate cutting the hair in the then popular "flat-top" haircut. The device includes a pair of companion arms positioned to the left and right of the head, respectively, and a harness arrangement for attaching the arms to the head of a user and maintaining the arms in a substantially perpendicular configuration. A "Dental Level" for the head of a dental patient is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,576,260, to Harry F. Waite, which device includes a mouth piece having an attached bubble level for effecting the desired head orientation. U.S. Pat. No. 2,068,103 to M. H. Harris discloses a "Spectacle Level" which can be removably fitted to the lens frame of glasses to determine the attitude of the glasses across the face, from eye to eye.
Portraits and cephalometric x-rays for use in orthodontal care and treatment are generally undertaken by initially adjusting the patients head to a desired spatial orientation and subsequently taking the necessary pictures after asking the patient to maintain his head in the original position. Under circumstances where several pictures are to be made, or in cases where the patient is physically unable to maintain his head in a substantially motionless position for a sufficient time period to complete the pictures, the desired x-rays or portraits may not be of a sufficiently high quality for use in subsequent treatment or care. A key factor in obtaining quality photographs and cephalometric x-rays is the essentially motion-free, identical spatial orientation of the head for each picture.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a head positioning device which includes eyeglasses provided with level means for determining a selected spatial orientation of the head in order to facilitate high quality portraits and cephalometric x-rays.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved device for enabling one to maintain a desired spatial attitude of the head, which device is characterized by a pair of eyeglasses and at least one level pivotally mounted on the eyeglasses for determining a selected plane for orienting the head in orthodontal and dental treatment and care.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a device for spatially orienting the head of an orthodontal or dental patient according to a selected standard and enabling the patient to substantially maintain the initial orientation in order to facilitate full face and profile portraits and cephalometric x-ray pictures of the patient's head.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a head positioning device for effecting a desired spatial orientation of the head about the two horizontal axes during successive portrait and/or cephalometric x-ray pictures, which device is characterized by a pair of eyeglasses having a lens frame and temple arms attached to the lens frame, with a pair of sealed level tubes containing a liquid and a bubble pivotally attached to the temple arms for indicating a selected orientation of the head.